


You're Beautiful

by mulaney



Category: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-10 13:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulaney/pseuds/mulaney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethan consoles Brandt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're Beautiful

“Benji, just take it easy. One of us will be there. Just hang in there,” Ethan hung up, and glanced at Jane. She raised an eyebrow.

“It sounds bad,” Jane said quietly. “Is he going to be alright?”

“Benji’s tough. He’ll be okay,” Ethan grabbed his leather jacket and stood up. “I’m going to talk to Brandt. Don’t expect me for awhile.”

Jane watched him go to the door, but not before Ethan turned around to look at her. “Will you go see Benji?”

“Of course I will,” she replied archly. “I hope we can sort this out before they call us for the next mission.”

Ethan sighed. “Me, too, Jane. Me too.” 

When Ethan knocked sharply on Brandt’s apartment door, he received no response at first. He was seriously thinking of breaking the door down when it finally opened. 

Seeing Brandt’s haggard face quieted Ethan down. He had planned to punch Brandt the instant he saw him, for what he was putting Benji through. But apparently, Brandt looked just about as bad as his ex. Ethan pushed his way in, smelling the alcohol immediately. 

“Brandt, for God’s sake, you smell like a brewery,” Ethan said unkindly, shutting the door behind him. 

“Hello to you too, boss,” Brandt slurred his words, stumbling over his own feet and Ethan managed to catch his friend before he fell flat on his face. Ethan made a face as Brandt came in close proximity, and turned his face away. 

“Whew, Brandt, let’s get you in the shower, okay? Come on, big guy,” Ethan grabbed the latest beer bottle out of Brandt’s hand and tossed it in the nearest trash. 

“Hey, I wasn’t done with that, Eth’an,” Brandt protested weakly, and Ethan determinedly hauled his heavy ass to the bathroom. Ethan had only been in Brandt’s tiny apartment once, in point of fact to drop Benji off late one night. 

“Yes, you are, Brandt,” Ethan said flatly. He kicked the bathroom door open, and sat Brandt down on the toilet seat. He started the shower, waiting for it to warm up. “Arms up, buddy, come on,” as if talking to a five-year-old. 

Brandt obeyed after a few seconds hesitation, as if he was thinking about Ethan’s words. Ethan swiftly pulled the white T-shirt over Brandt’s head. He pulled the socks off next, and then started on the button of Brandt’s jeans. Brandt was silent and compliant, as Ethan undressed him. 

For some reason, Ethan didn’t look Brandt in the eye as he shucked off the rest of Brandt’s clothes and stood him up. “In the shower, come on.” 

“Are you coming in with me, seeing as I can’t stand by myself right now?” Brandt asked quietly. “Just to make sure I don’t kill myself.”

Ethan paused, then nodded. This was in no way meant to be sexual, in any way shape or form, and Ethan understood that. Brandt was taking his breakup with Benji rather hard, and that surprised him more than anything. Ethan quickly shed his own clothes, grabbed Brandt around the waist and they managed to barely fit in the tiny shower stall. 

In the shower, the silence between the two teammates lengthened, and Ethan took the bar of soap and began to lather up Brandt. Suddenly, he heard a hiccup, then a broken sob, and horrified, Ethan looked up in time to see Brandt break down completely. 

Without a word, Ethan took Brandt in his arms and held him as he cried. Ethan silently wrapped his arms around his friend, just being there for him for comfort and friendship. 

“I’m sorry,” Brandt said, hiccupping between words. “I feel like an idiot, crying in front of you like this.”

“Brandt, you and Benji just broke up,” Ethan said gently. “It’s understandable.”

“I thought he was the one, Ethan,” Brandt said, still emotionally wrecked. “But we’re too different, and now the team is in jeopardy because we broke up -- ”

“Brandt, shhh,” Ethan ordered, “Don’t worry about the team. We’ll get through this together.”

Ethan finished cleaning Brandt up, and wrapped him up in towels. He dried off quickly, shivering lightly, aware of Brandt looking at him as he dressed in front of Brandt. 

“You’re beautiful,” Brandt said suddenly, throwing Ethan off guard. Ethan cleared his throat. 

“Come on, let’s get you in bed,” he said, not responding to Brandt’s unexpected compliment. He managed to get Brandt into the bed without further incident. 

When Brandt was asleep, Ethan slumped down in the nearest chair in the bedroom to watch over him. He fished out his cell phone to several text messages from Jane. 

Text one: How is he? 

Text two: Benji is a mess, and keeps crying. He misses Brandt. 

Text three, worried tone: Are we going to survive this breakup? Ethan??

This was from 20 minutes ago, when he was in the shower with Brandt. 

Ethan texted back: Brandt’s sleeping; he’s drunk. We’ll survive this, Jane. I’ll stay here til I know he’s ok. 

Jane texted back: Okay, Ethan. Goodnight. Don’t sleep in the chair! :D 

Ethan grinned. He texted: Mind reader. XO 

He tried to relax. He wondered about the compliment Brandt gave him in the bathroom: “You’re beautiful.” 

Ethan shook his head. His friends broke up after a six-month relationship, but he really wasn’t sure how IMF as a team was going to handle this. The awkwardness, and their working together like a well-oiled machine. If their breakup was going to cause trouble for a mission, then it was over. 

In the morning, Ethan woke up before Brandt and got them both coffees. When he returned Brandt was awake and in his suit and tie, as if he wasn’t drunk as a skunk last night. Brandt took the coffee in thanks and they both drank it in silence. 

“Thank you, Ethan,” Brandt finally said. “What happens now?”

“Now, we wait for the next assignment,” Ethan said carefully. “And no problem. You know, Brandt, I was ready to punch you out when you opened the door but -- ”

“You saw how pathetic I looked and changed your mind,” Brandt cut in, not looking at him. 

That was exactly the truth, but Ethan knew better than to just say something so coldly after a painful breakup. “Brandt, don’t do this to yourself. You’re still a part of my team. You’re not going anywhere, understand?”

The last question was said a bit forcefully, almost fearfully, though Ethan would never admit it. He didn’t want Brandt to leave. He’d gotten used to him, his comforting presence, and his friendship. 

There was a long pause. “No, Ethan, I’m not leaving for anything.”

Ethan gripped Brandt’s large hand in his, gratefully. Brandt returned the gesture and put both of his over Ethan’s. “I meant what I said last night. You’re beautiful.”

Ethan froze. They sat there, hands clasped. “Brandt.”

“It’s just a compliment, Ethan. That’s all,” Brandt said, smiling a little. He pulled away, and sipped the hot coffee. “I still have feelings for Benji, and will for a long time. It’ll be awhile before I get over this.”

“I’m sorry,” Ethan said quietly. 

“I fell in love with one of my teammates. My own fault,” Brandt said stiffly. 

Ethan’s expression softened. “Come with me.”

Without a word, Brandt stood up and followed him out the door. Ethan smiled as they got in his car and drove away.


End file.
